1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to Really Simple Syndication (RSS) and, in particular, to an RSS provision method and system and portable device for facilitating subscription to RSS channels and update of the subscribed RSS channels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable devices, such as cellular telephones, personal digital assistants, etc., are becoming equipped with new and more supplementary functions. For instance, recent mobile devices are equipped with multimedia functions, such as audio and video playback for playing previously stored audio and video files, a camera function for taking still and motion pictures, and an Internet access function for web surfing.
With the advance of Internet technology and network bandwidth, large amounts of data and information may now be exchanged and shared among a plurality of users over the Internet. The rapid expansion of the Internet makes people have an interest in the things happened halfway around the world. In cooperation with the increase of Internet-based information, various types of information and content provision business models have emerged in the market. The information and content provided by the content providers are updated almost in real time, and the user's access of the content providers' website to search and acquire the updated information and contents is almost as rapid. During the information update, however, the users are likely to experience redundant download such that the information acquired already is downloaded again even though the user wants to receive the updated part. The Really Simple Syndication (RSS), or Rich Site Summary, is an XML-based data format for providing the user with frequently updated information such as news headlines and blog entries. Using an RSS application, the user can timely check and download updates by subscribing to an RSS feed without frequent visits to the corresponding website to check the updates, by entering into an RSS application the RSS feed's address.
However, most of the current RSS services designed in consideration of the high processing capability and large display screen of desktop computers is not appropriate for being adapted to capability- and display-constrained portable devices. Since the portable devices are limited in capacity and display and use a relatively costly wireless link for data communication, thus, accessing the RSS services by means of a portable device is restricted and not recommended.
There is, therefore, a need for a method for facilitating the use of RSS services by means of a capacity- and display-constrained portable device.